Zeller signing a positive sign for Hoosiers; local collegians have strong openers

Posted Friday, November 12, 2010, at 3:44 PM

By CAREY FOX

Times Sports Editor

The Olney Central Blue Knights don't shy away from playing a difficult junior college basketball schedule during the season and that competition prepares them for league play.

This week, the Blue Knights nearly pulled off a very big upset as they dropped a 70-69 decision to the nation's top-ranked team in Lincoln College.

Olney built a 24-9 lead midway through the first half, but the Lynx battled back to remain unbeaten this season at 4-0.

Former Northview Knight Austin Akers had a big night for OCC with 15 points on five-of-11 shooting and also grabbed four rebounds for the Blue Knights (0-3 overall). Akers also led the team with eight assists. Former Terre Haute South standout, John Michael Jarvis, led the way with 22 points, including four 3-pointers and a perfect six-of-six from the free throw line.

The Danville Jaguars and former Northview Knight Kirstin Kimball recorded their first victory of the young junior college basketball season, defeating Olney Central, 70-63 on Monday night.

Kimball scored six points in the victory that evened the Jaguars' season mark at 1-1 overall.

Danville held Olney to just 29 percent shooting in the game and outrebounded the Blue Knights, 35-22 on the defensive boards.

Kimball is a 6'0 sophomore with the Jaguars.

At Lincoln Christian College, the men's basketball season got underway as the Red Lions recorded a road win at Central Christian College of the Bible on Monday, 77-73.

Former Northview athlete, Josiah Brock, a LCC senior, scored 10 points in 22 minutes of action and grabbed six rebounds and added an assist and a block while hitting five-of-11 shots from the field.

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Signing of Washington's Cody Zeller could signal return to glory for Hoosiers

The Indiana University basketball program has been trying to climb back to relevance in the national hoops scene under coach Tom Crean and Thursday's signing of Mr. Basketball candidate, Cody Zeller, is the latest sign that the rebuilding project is full speed ahead.

The Hoosier faithful have been waiting for that big name recruit since Eric Gordon eschewed the Fighting Illini several years ago. Now, IU has a 6'10 big man that gives fans even more reason for hope in years to come.

Zeller's brothers went to North Carolina and Notre Dame and the Tar Heels were one of three teams, including Butler, that were finalists for the youngest Zeller's services starting next season. That IU was able to beat out the Bulldogs, who narrowly missed out on last year's national championship after a title game loss to Duke, and topped recent national champ, North Carolina, is reason to smile as an IU fan.

Not only has the signing electrified the IU hoops message boards, but it also could be a precursor to another big signing as Park Tudor guard, Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, is an AAU teammate of Zeller's and a good friend as well.

The Hoosiers already have a letter-of-intent from another of Zeller's teammates in the AAU circuit in Hamilton Heights guard Austin Etherington, who plays for Indiana Elite. Hammer Perea, a top-10 nationally ranked forward, has already signed as well along with another big man in 7'0 center, Peter Jurkin, from North Carolina, and guard Ron Patterson, a lock down defender. Seemingly, a talented point guard is the lone missing piece and Ferrell could be that piece. According to Ferrell's father, Zeller's decision to commit to the Hoosiers could speed up his timetable for making a college decision.

Clearly however, Zeller's commit is the big piece of the puzzle as the big man is a high profile IN-STATE recruit staying home to play for the Hoosiers and he's a top prospect as well. Zeller averaged 20.5 ppg. and 11.4 rebounds per game. Symbolically, the get is even bigger as Zeller's commitment is a tangible bench mark in the IU program's rise back to relevance not only in-state, but nationally as well.

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Great to see you following some of the locals who've gone on to play college ball. Just an FYI that Lincoln Christian College changed its name to Lincoln Christian University last year. They also changed their mascot and are now the Red Lions.

-- Posted by palminator on Sat, Nov 13, 2010, at 3:30 PM

GREAT TO SEE COACH CREEN BEING REWARDED 4 HIS PATIENTS.A LOT OF GREAT COACHES COULDN'T DEAL WITH WHAT HE HAS DEALT WITH THE LAST 3 YEARS .JUST WANT TO SAY WERE BACK.